MMA News

Tag: wwe

  • Brock Lesnar’s Return Gets a Mixed Reaction from the Live WWE Audience at SummerSlam

    Brock Lesnar’s Return Gets a Mixed Reaction from the Live WWE Audience at SummerSlam

    Brock Lesnar’s return to the WWE did not go well.

    On Saturday night, World Wrestling Entertainment presented it’s 38th annual SummerSlam event, emanating from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. While the two-night show failed to deliver on multiple levels, it featured a series of big moments, including Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank mere moments after CM Punk defeated Gunther to win the world heavyweight championship.

    But as crazy as that was, nobody expected what would come the following night.

    Shortly after Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena to reclaim the undisputed WWE championship, Cena’s final SummerSlam moment was spoiled by Brock Lesnar, who made his first promotional appearance in two years. During that time away, Lesnar was thought to have been banned from WWE after being named in the sexual misconduct federal lawsuit against Vince McMahon.

    As it turns out, that was not the case, and fans were less than enthused with Lesnar’s surprise comeback. Check out the clip below courtesy of Ariel Helwani.

    Brock Lesnar’s WWE return is an attempt to “sweep misconduct under the rug”

    In a suit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, she alleged that McMahon told her to produce “personalized sexual content” for Lesnar as a means of keeping the former UFC heavyweight titleholder under contract. Grant also claimed that McMahon flew Lesnar to Connecticut for a sexual encounter that ultimately did not occur.

    Grant’s representation issued a statement to Fightful regarding Lesnar’s return to WWE.

    “For far too long, abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE’s leadership,” the statement Reads. “Instead of righting this wrong, WWE has done nothing to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

    “This attempt to sweep misconduct under the rug will backfire,” the statement continued. “We look forward to the full set of facts, including those about Mr. Lesnar, coming out in a court of law where they belong but, in the meantime, we refer you back to Janel Grant’s updated complaint, which outlines, in detail, the abuse she endured by McMahon and others while employed at WWE.”

  • Vince McMahon Issued Misdemeanor Following Car Accident

    Vince McMahon, the former Executive Chairman of WWE & TKO, parent company of the UFC, was involved in a car accident on July 24.

    Per a report from TMZ, McMahon was traveling northbound on Route 15 in Westport, Connecticut, when the 2024 Bentley he was driving crashed into the back of a 2023 BMW 430. It then collided with a median wood-beam guardrail before a third vehicle, a Ford Fusion, ran into it.

    About 30 feet of damage to the median guardrail. No one was injured, with all three drivers having worn seat belts, but all three vehicles needed to be towed. McMahon’s Bentley and the BMW had its airbags deployed.

    McMahon was issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and following too closely resulting in an accident. He is scheduled to appear in court next month.

    Vince McMahon, Former WWE And TKO Executive Chairman, Cited For Car Accident In Connecticut

    McMahon was one of the leading forces behind WWE’s sale to Endeavor in 2023. The Ari Emanuel-led company then formed TKO as part of a “merger” between the WWE and Zuffa, the longtime parent company of the UFC. McMahon, who originally purchased the WWE from his father in 1982, served as executive chairman of TKO upon its original creation.

    McMahon originally retired from his role as WWE chairman and CEO in June 2022 following hush-money payment allegations. He, however, powered his way back into the position of executive chairman and Board of Directors head in January 2023 as part of WWE’s sale process.

    McMahon was ousted from TKO, however, in January 2024 follwing allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He is still under federal investigation.

  • 8-0 MMA Prospect To Make Pro Wrestling Debut Against Former WWE Star Matt Riddle

    8-0 MMA Prospect To Make Pro Wrestling Debut Against Former WWE Star Matt Riddle

    With an undefeated record of 8-0, flyweight talent Phumi Nkuta is someone that fight fans have had their eyes on for some time. The CFFC and Peak Fighting champion is a name that has been tipped for big things but it looks like his MMA career is being put on hold.

    If there’s one thing that has held Nkuta back in his MMA career, it’s his activity after he had nearly two years out from 2021-2023 due to an injury. Now, he’s looking to progress in a new field by making his professional wrestling debut as House Of Glory’s upcoming event in New York.

    On December 20, HOG “Live For The Moment” will take place at the NYC Arena with a card that boasts the HOG return of one of the most iconic teams in all of wrestling, The Hardy Boyz. Nkuta will also feature on the card against a name and face that will be familiar to both wrestling and MMA fans.

    Matt Riddle came into the UFC via the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter and would go on to fight inside the Octagon 12 times before being released from the promotion in 2013. Aside from one comeback fight earlier this year in Titan FC, Riddle then left MMA behind to pursue pro wrestling where he would go on to become a major star in the WWE.

    Following several suspensions and controversies, he left the WWE in 2023 and has been working for several other promotions on the independent circuit ever since. He recently made his debut for TNA at their “Turning Point” event on November 29. Now, it will be him that is welcoming an MMA fighter through the ropes on December 20.

  • Current UFC Champion Reveals Interest In Post-UFC WWE Career: ‘Still Get The Thrill’

    Current UFC Champion Reveals Interest In Post-UFC WWE Career: ‘Still Get The Thrill’

    Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has said in the past that he doesn’t intend on sticking around in the sport to achieve a long-lasting run and legacy. The Brit wants to make as much money possible in the fastest time before leaving with his health.

    This means that he’s going to need something to occupy his time once his fighting days are over and though he’s in no rush to walk away right now, an opportunity did recently arise. At the WWE’s recent live tour of the UK, one half of TKO Group Holdings collided with the other.

    Aspinall was brought into the ring in Manchester, in the same venue where he stopped Curtis Blaydes in July, to step through the ropes and stand side-by-side with WWE champions Cody Rhodes and Gunther.

    In a recent interview with SafestCasinoSites, Aspinall reflected on the experience and whether stepping inside a WWE ring would be something that appeals to him once he’s finishing with his fighting career.

    The champion started by talking about other areas that he would like to explore once he retires, including punditry and analyst work which he currently does for TNT Sports in the UK. However, pro wrestling helps to give him the same adrenaline rush that competing inside the Octagon satisfies.

    “Absolutely, mate. That’s what I want to do in my post-fighting career. I’ve got my show on TNT Sports now, so I like the punditry side as well. I’m very passionate about MMA, it’s been my life for as long as I can remember. I like to think that I know more about MMA than most and I can offer some kind of knowledge and breakdown to people who don’t understand MMA as well as I do. I think I’ve definitely got that to offer and I think I do that well, it’s something I enjoy and something that I want to continue to do.

    “But WWE is something new and exciting for me as well. I really enjoyed it, it’s a buzz. It’s another way to get out there in front of an audience and do something not quite as dangerous, but still get the thrill. I don’t know, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I’ve still got a lot that I want to do in my MMA career. I’m not saying that I want to hang up the gloves just yet, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy it. I enjoyed the whole thing.”

  • Former WWE Superstar Jack Claffey Signs With BKFC

    The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship announced Jack Claffey’s signing on their Facebook page Tuesday.

    Jack Claffey, formerly Jack Gallagher of the WWE, will debut in the BKFC in 2022. His release from the WWE followed sexual assault allegations in 2020. Claffey issued a statement where he took responsibility for drinking heavily and behaving inappropriately with a young woman at a 2014 New Year’s Eve party.

    Mid-year will mark the lightweight’s first professional venture outside of the WWE.

    The ex-professional wrestler adds to the list of fighters recently signed to the promotion such as UFC Veteran Mike Perry and former UFC featherweight title contender Chad Mendes.

    The “Captain” also falls in line with a number of other WWE wrestlers that either left to join another promotion or participate simultaneously. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk have records in the UFC, and Bobby Lashley fought under Bellator and various other MMA promotions.

    Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, CM Punk
    Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, CM Punk; Photo Credit: Getty Images

    Impressively, the England-born fighter won both of his amateur bouts by submission—one by armbar and one by guillotine choke.

    Fans of Jack “Captain” Claffey have not seen him in action since his loss to Jake Atlas during a live WWE event in June 2020, and are surely anticipating his debut in the bloody combat sport.

    Are you excited to see Jack Claffey’s BKFC debut?